Corner-coupling for metallic beds.



(No Model.)

WITNESSES.

F. w WALKER. CORNER COUPLING FOR METALLIC BEDS.

(Application filed May 3, 1899.)

Patented July 3, I900;

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rrnn STATES P TENT FFIC CORNER-COUPLING FOR METALLIC BEDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 653,158, dated July 3, 1900. Application filed May 3, 1899. $erial No- 715,417. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK l/V. W'AL- KER, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Utica, Oneida county, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corner-Couplers for Metallic Beds, of which the following is a speoifica tion.

My invention relates to an improvement in a cornencoupler for metallic beds for connecting the side rail to the leg of a metallic bedstead; and it consists in the mechanism here- 'inafter pointed out and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my corner-coupler. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top view of Fig. 1. Fig. at is a side view of the key for locking and unlocking the parts.

In the specification similar numerals will refer to corresponding parts in the several views of the drawings.

In constructing my device for operation I provide a tubular bed-post 1, provided with a longitudinal opening 2, Fig. 2, sufficient in length and width to receive a projecting lug 3, made a part of the corner-coupler. Lug 3 has a recess 5, which overlaps the longitudinal opening 2 on the inside of the tubular post and supports the downward strain due to the weight of the bed-bottom side rails and weight supported by the bed. 1 The corn er-coupling 4 is provided with a concave face 6, which substantially fits the curvature of the tubular post, the parts being held together by bolt 7, which is formed in one piece and has on the bolt-stem spring 8, which operates to hold the bolt in the position shown in Fig. 2. The front stem of the bolt at 9, Fig. 2, works in longitudinal slot 2 in the wall of the tubular post immediately above lug 3, so that when the front stem 9 of the bolt and lug 3 are both inserted in slot 2 in the wall of the post the slot is entirely filled, so that the corn ercoupling cannot be worked up or down or removed except in the manner hereinafter specified. hen it is desired to disconnect the post from the side rail, this is accomplished by inserting key 10 into keyhole 11 on the side of the coupling, turning the key into contact with shoulder 12 in the bolt, and thereby retiring the bolt against the pressure of the coil-spring, so that front end 9 is moved out of slot 2, thereby permitting the corner coupling to be disconnected from the bed post. The bolt 7 is mounted in the socket or cored opening 15 in the cast portion of the coupling and is held from dropping therefrom by a metal bar 16, placed over the cored opening, as best illustrated in Fig. 2, this bar engaging shoulder 17 on the bolt, which arrests its movement beyond the plate 16. By the use of this locking device my corner-coupling is more particularly adapted to hospitals and insane or criminal institutions, thereby preventing'the coupling of the bed being separated one from the other without having a key suited to unlock the parts,

as hereinbefore set forth.

For holding the corner-coupling on the post I provide Wings 13 13, formed at the extremity of concavity 6 in the coupling, Which rest on either side of the tubular bed-post and are brought in contact therewith by means of slot 5 on lug 3 coming in contact with the Wall of the tubular post, thereby making the same'firm and steady. On extension-lug 4;, Fig. 1, I provide one or more holes 14 14 for securing the corner-coupling to the side rail.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A slotted tubular bed-post, in combination with a coupling having the concavity conforming substantially to the exterior surface of the post and provided with the lug in said concavity to enter the slot of the post, said coupling formed with a recess or socket opening into said concavity adjacent to said lug, a bolt in said recess and movable to project beyond the face of the concavity or with draw within its recess, said coupling formed with a key-receiving opening adjacent to said bolt, whereby the bolt can be operated by a key inserted in said opening, substantially as described.

2. A slotted post, in combination with the coupling having its face formed with a concavity to partially embrace said post, said coupling having a rigid lug in its concavity to enter the slot of the post, and formed with a socket or recess at its inner end opening into said concavity in the plane of said slot in the post, a reciprocating spring-held. bolt in said recess and normally projected into said concavity and said slot of the post said bolt constructed to be withdrawn from the post-slot by a key, substantially as described.

3. A longitudinally-slotted post, in combination with the coupling having the concavity to receive and partially embrace said post, and the shouldered lug projecting from the coupling Within said concavity, said coupling provided with the movable bolt inclosed Within the same and normally projected into 10 the concave face above said lug, substantially as described.

4. In combination, the longitudinally-slotted post, the coupling having the concavity to receive and partially embrace said post 15 and the rigid shouldered lug projecting into said concavity intermediate of the length thereof, said coupling provided with a recess or socket opening into said concavity immediately above said lug, and a transverse key-.

hole intersecting said recess, a spring-held bolt in said recess normally projecting into said concavity, and means retaining the bolt in said recess, substantially as described.

Signed by me at Utica, New York, this 28th day of April, 1899.

FRED. W. WALKER.

Witnesses:

PHEBE A. TANNER, C. HERBERT WILsON. 

